The Golden Nugget is the best Hotel downtown. It is also one of the best hotels in Las Vegas. To knock the GN down because it is downtown makes no sense. You can't pick the hotel up and move it. Downtown is an acquired taste. The down side of downtown is the poor people and homeless who wonder the streets and sleep on the streets. If you would stay in the GN and never go out you would not know you were downtown. It is insulated that well. I stayed the the "old" South Tower. Room is a good size bed and bathroom very well appointed. The service as far as I asked for was prompt. Problem with the toilet 15 mins later someone was there to fix it. Wanted extra pillows and blanket no problem came fast. They were so fast they missed the tip I had left for them. The reason you stay at the GN is price to value. You are not going to stay ANYWHERE for the price and get the quality the Nugget has to offer. They have many places to eat, Vic and Anthony's, Chart House, Lilly's, Sushi Bar, and the Buffet. The Buffet is the weakest of all the places. Cannot understand how a Landry property has a bad buffet. They are in the food business for goodness sake.
The room had a flat panel TV a clock with a docking station for your IPhone and the furniture was changed since last year.
Downtown has it advantages.
1 proximity to other casinos. Don't like the place your are go across the street.
2. It is old Las Vegas the Video Poker payouts are liberal as are the rules for blackjack
3. High end eateries. Binion's Steak house and Hugo Cellar two top tier eateries anywhere in Las Vegas
4. Fremont Street Experience. Beside the overhead show there are two live bands playing plus a DJ spinning records and a Sax player all going on at the same time. That is a lot of action packed into a small package.